Commercial trucks operate for longer hours, carry heavier loads and burn far more fuel per vehicle than passenger cars but freight diesel is even more important when looking at global diesel demand.

China’s heavy-truck electrification program is targeting 40% new-energy heavy-truck sales by 2030, more than 1.6 million vehicles in operation and roughly 20% of the national heavy-truck fleet. The plan also targets 18% of highway freight volume, which is the more revealing number. China is not merely trying to put electric drivetrains into one-fifth of its trucks. It is concentrating them in commercially active fleets and high-volume freight operations

This is the distinction that oil demand models risk missing. Yes, a few electric trucks in demonstrations are a signal that adoption is coming, but electric trucks tied to corridors, depots, grid capacity and repeatable operating routes are a diesel replacement system.

Source: Clean Technica: Read The Article

PSR Analysis: For a great many years, heavy trucks have been treated as hard to replace with battery systems, a last bastion of diesel. But no more, China is showing us all what can happen, and this should be a strong warning to the oil giants and the legacy truck manufacturers.    PSR

Guy Youngs is Forecast & Adoption Lead

So, when a small Indian start up, (called Vimag Labs and based out of Bengaluru in the southern Indian state of Karnataka), secures its fifth Indian patent for an electric motor that runs without any rare-earth magnets, people start to listen.

Source: Electrek: Read The Article

PSR Analysis: Most EVs use a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor which uses REE, but the trick isn’t making REE free motors, but rather doing it as efficiently as a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor. If this works (and it’s a big if) then it could side step the REE supply issue.   PSR

EV batteries contain minerals such as lithium, cobalt and nickel, which raise environmental and social concerns relating to their disposal.

EV batteries can be recycled, but it is very difficult and costly. Batteries must be prepared before recycling and this involves discharging, dismantling and separating its components.

Source: MSN: Read The Article

PSR Analysis: Europe is looking at this problem with several projects underway in the UK and Europe, but the questions remain: can this be done quickly, economically, and in doing so, create a new resource stream for the future? Only time will tell.   PSR

The joint venture says its first UK hubs will open in 2027, with more than 30 planned across Europe by 2035

CATL already has a heavy-truck battery-swapping platform called Qiji, which focusses on standardizing battery blocks and swap machinery. CATL is trying to make the battery block the common object around which truck chassis, stations, battery inventories and operating systems are designed

Source: Clean Technica: Read The Article

PSR Analysis: Given that freight operators run regular routes, this system has a valid operating plan, but whether or not European freight companies will get behind it, is a completely different ball game. However, in China, CATL has made this work with 305 swap stations at the end of 2025.   PSR

Hold on I hear you cry, what about Ethiopia? In 2024 Ethiopia banned the import of all fossil-fueled cars. In truth, there isn’t a lot of difference but in the Laos ban public transport vehicles, construction machinery, project-related trucks, and other specialized vehicles are exempt. This is a passenger-car policy, aimed squarely at the segment where affordable electric alternatives already exist, reports electrek.

Source: Electrek: Read The Article

PSR Analysis:  Laos, like Ethiopia, generates a large portion of its electricity needs via hydroelectric power, and struggles to pay for diesel/petrol imports. Given the Iran-USA conflict, and the resultant high price for oil, this policy seems to make a great deal of sense. What happens after the six-month period will be the critical factor.   PSR

There are several types of personal watercraft (PWC), depending upon the number of people the vessel is designed to carry, anywhere from one to three or more people.

PWC Sit-Downs 1-2 People is defined as a type of vessel which is specifically designed to haul one or two riders in a sitting position, one in front of the other; commonly referred to as jet skis. A larger PWC sit-down model carries three people. Finally, PWC Stand-Ups are a type of water scooter with the purpose of one rider standing or kneeling on the watercraft.

Jet Drive Boats are boats propelled by a jet of water ejected from the back of the craft; they have no propeller and can maneuver in shallow water.

This product information comes from industry interviews and from two proprietary databases maintained by Power Systems Research: EnginLink , which provides information on engines, and OE Link, a database of equipment manufacturers.

Market Share. With a combined plant total of 50%, Yamaha leads in production of PWC in North America.  In second position is Bombardier (BRP Mexico & US) with 39.5%; third, is Kawasaki (Mexico) with 9%.

Exports: Up to 30% worldwide.

Trends. In 2025, production of Personal Watercraft (including pontoon and jet drive boats) dropped 17.2%, caused in part by increasing interest rates which reduced demand. However, production is expected to gain 5.3% in 2026. 

The 2026 increase is based on slight demand for new products in the market, especially for jet drive boats and pontoons. Following the pandemic (2021), according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), this trend is here to stay – the boating industry is booming with demand at an all-time high as Americans plan for a summer on the water.  Expect the production of Personal Watercraft to gain an additional 10% by 2035.   PSR

Carol Turner is Senior Analyst, Global Operations

By the end of the decade, Daimler will establish a truck plant in the Czech Republic for the Mercedes brand and another large plant in the United States primarily for the Freightliner and Western Star brands.

In Europe, Mercedes-Benz Trucks is continuing to systematically strengthen the future viability of its European production network. The plant in Wörth am Rhein, Germany, (state of Rhineland-Palatinate) is—and will remain—the lead and largest volume plant within the network. The company plans to expand the existing network in the future by adding a vehicle assembly and manufacturing site in Cheb (Karlovarský/Karlsbad region), Czech Republic.

Painted cab bodies will be supplied from Wörth. Subject to all pending approvals—among others by the Cheb city council—the company plans to begin construction next year, with ramp up of the new European network concept targeted for the end of the decade. The goal is to further enhance the efficiency, resilience, and flexibility of all sites within the network in light of increasing complexity caused by a growing variety of product variants.

In the United States, Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) has announced plans to build a manufacturing plant in an unidentified U.S. location to expand production capacity and meet rising demand across North America.

DTNA announced in July that it will move the remaining production of Freightliner and Western Star truck lines away from its Portland, Oregon, manufacturing plant—where Freightliner has built trucks since 1942—to the Carolinas by the end of the year.

The facility, wherever it is located, will focus on vocational and on-highway truck production, incorporating flexible assembly systems and automated manufacturing technologies to adapt to changing vehicle configurations.

“It will be the largest manufacturing plant in the U.S. for trucks when all is said and done,” said O’Leary, adding the company is evaluating multiple potential locations, prioritizing sites with access to skilled labor, established supply chains, robust transport infrastructure, and favorable business conditions.

While a final site has not been selected, O’Leary said construction is scheduled to begin later this year, with operations targeted to start in 2029.

Source: CCJ     Source: Daimler

PSR Analysis. Mercedes brand expansion in Europe appears to be driven primarily to reduce cost by transferring production from a high cost Germany to a lower cost Czech Republic. In recent years, Poland has been a good option for lower cost medium and heavy vehicles and will continue to be so in the future. The trend of European OEMs moving production to lower cost countries is expected to continue over the next decade as manufacturers seek to significantly reduce the cost of their vehicles as competition continues to strengthen in both their domestic and export markets.

In the Unites States, DTNA recently closed its assembly plant in Portland which typically produced 8,000 – 10,000 Freightliner and Western Star trucks annually.  The current volume will primarily be transferred to the plants in Mt. Holley and Cleveland.  The decision to close the Portland plant was primarily driven by reducing production costs.  The Portland plant closure is not a surprise, since DTNA has been discussing this for years.  Adding a brand new plant with a minimum capacity of 30,000 trucks, for example, would certainly provide Daimler with ample capacity moving forward and the ability to consolidate manufacturing operations if need be.  PSR

Chris Fisher is Senior Commercial Vehicle Analyst

Iveco Group has reported a 7.3% increase in consolidated revenues for Q2 2026, reaching USD $4.35 billion (€3.76 billion), fueled primarily by higher delivery volumes across Western Europe. Order intake in Europe showed remarkable acceleration: medium- and heavy-duty truck orders jumped +47% year-over-year, while light commercial vehicle (LCV) orders rose 21%.

In the passenger transit sector, IVECO BUS consolidated its position as the #1 European electric bus manufacturer, capturing over 25% market share as bus deliveries grew by 8% with its Annonay plant operating at full capacity. Industrial Activities generated an adjusted EBIT of USD $120.22 million (€104 million), absorbing temporary quality and rework investments from early-season bus production while positioning the Group for a stronger second half of 2026 following the early-July debut of its Model Year 2026 truck range.

Source: Iveco Group     Read The Article

PSR Analysis. The 47% surge in European heavy-duty truck orders demonstrates that fleet operators are aggressively committing to replacement orders following the launch of IVECO’s Model Year 2026 lineup. By holding more than a quarter of the European electric bus market, IVECO BUS has built a dominant position for municipal zero-emission tenders, creating a steep competitive hurdle for rivals such as Solaris and Daimler Buses. The strong order intake across both LCV and heavy chassis cabs signals robust underlying freight activity in Southern and Western Europe.  PSR

Emiliano Marzoli is Manager, European Operations

Preliminary Q2 2026 figures revealed revenues of USD $768.86 million (€665.1 million), representing a 14.4% year-over-year surge, while preliminary EBIT skyrocketed 43.6% to USD $73.06 million (€63.2 million). Executive leadership cited strong demand for compact excavators, wheel loaders, and zero-emission construction machinery across DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) and Benelux, alongside stabilizing supply chains and disciplined cost management across its European production network.

Source: Wacker Neuson  Read The Article

PSR Analysis. Wacker Neuson’s double-digit revenue jump and guidance hike offer concrete evidence that Western European compact construction machinery is rebounding faster than the heavy earthmoving sector. For direct peers like Caterpillar, Komatsu, and the Ammann Group, Wacker Neuson’s performance proves that municipal infrastructure upgrades, urban trenching, and utility works are actively driving equipment sales even as large-scale civil engineering projects experience mixed momentum.

Furthermore, the strong uptake of Wacker Neuson’s “e-site” battery-powered compact equipment illustrates that European contractors are rapidly adopting electric excavators and site dumpers to meet city-level low-noise and zero-emission site mandates. This demand validation reinforces the strategic value of localized European manufacturing in capturing immediate equipment replacement cycles across DACH urban centers.  PSR

Volvo Buses has introduced the B320R 6×2 B100 Flex chassis in Brazil, designed to operate with pure B100 biodiesel and aimed at urban and metropolitan applications. The model expands the company’s low carbon offering with a solution that can use existing liquid fuel infrastructure and domestic biodiesel supply, reducing dependence on fossil diesel. Volvo indicates that the B100 can significantly reduce lifecycle CO2 emissions and sees potential adoption in Brazilian fleets and other Latin American markets with established biodiesel production.

Source: AutoData    Read The Article

PSR Analysis. The launch directly supports the biodiesel industry’s push to expand B100 use in captive and public transport fleets, particularly om captive near Biodiesel producers, where domestic biodiesel can compete with imported fossil diesel. This also strengthens the energy security argument, as Brazil remains exposed to imported diesel volumes and international supply disruptions, creating a structural risk of tighter availability and price volatility. An OEM validated B100 platform reduces the technology barrier for fleet adoption, but large scale still depends on price competitiveness and large scale production capacity.     PSR

Fabio Ferraresi is Director, Business Development, South America